Thigh Gap Jewellery, Anyone?

There was a trend on social media where lots of girls would use the hashtag #thighgap as a goal and many sought to lose weight so that they could be skinny enough to get a thigh gap. Then came this website with the brand TGAP that sold Thigh Gap Jewellery with each costing about S$185.

If you’re offended, enraged, shocked or surprised, you’re not alone. However, if you tried to purchase the jewellery, it would lead you to a page where you’re then told that these pieces of jewellery do not exist. In fact, it was part of Singapore-based designer Bae Soo Kyung’s way of starting a conversation on the unrealistic body image that social media portrays.

We at The Wellness Insider applaud Soo Kyung’s TGAP project as she has correctly pointed out, these body image trends are unrealistic. Every human is built differently and some people have thigh gaps because they were born that way (not just because they’re skinny) and we should embrace our health first rather than try to fit a certain look.

This Thigh Gap Jewellery has even made the news worldwide and even discussed on TV shows in the US. As explained by the Doctors in the video clip below, a thigh gap isn’t something that men find attractive or even notice. So why are women putting such pressures on themselves?

Sadly, media does have a role to play in how we perceive ourselves and we often compare our physical appearance to the ideals shown. And this image does change from time to time but what does not change is the lengths that women go to attain that ideal body figure…even to dangerous levels as seen from the growing numbers of anorexia and bulimic cases seen worldwide.

Nonetheless, we humans are visual creatures and it is hard to break stereotypes and ideals. That’s why projects such as TGAP is really helpful in challenging what is happening currently and preventing girls from going down that slippery slope of wanting to look good and harming one’s body in doing so.